Window frame hothouse



July 6, 1937. o. THESEN 2,086,247 I WINDOW FRAMEHOTHOUSE I Filed July21, 1936 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. f Thesen f, i Q

- ATTORNEY.

July 6, 1937. 0.,THESEN. 4 2,036,241

WINDOW FRAME HOTHOUSE Filed July 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED sm'rss erem" tries 6 Claims.

This invention deals with hothouse constructions, and is concernedprimarily with that type of hothouse which is associated with the windowof a house or other building.

Prior to this invention there have been proposed certain attachmentswhich have been applied to Window frames to provide something in thenature of a hothouse, but it has been the practice to support the box orhouse construction entirely from the window or the contiguous wallstructure. As a result the distance outward from the window to whichthese hothouse boxes may extend has been confined within definite safelimits, due to the fact that the box outstands from the wall and issupported only from the wall itself.

The present invention departs from the above noted practice by providinga hothouse construction which in addition to being attached to a supportat a window opening it is further supported at points removed from thewall on which the window opening is formed, by the ground itself.

More in detail this invention proposes to provide a hothouse of the typenoted which is attached to a window opening, with the latter beingpreferably located close to the ground, as, for instance, in thefoundation of a building.

Such windows as basement windows have been 30 found to be particularlyadaptable to having a hothouse of this type applied thereto. Thehothouse may extend outwardly from the window as far as the interior maybe conveniently reached from the window, and the side and end walls aresupported directly on the ground.

The invention has in view as a further and more detailed object theprovision of means for anchoring the end of the hothouse, which isremote from the wall, to the ground. In carrying out this idea one ormore legs are provided which depend from the hothouse at points remotefrom the wall, and these legs are embedded in a concrete base which isprovided in'the ground.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of ahothouse attachment of the type noted, which is applied to a basementwindow in the manner indicated, and which avails of the ground itself asthe bed in which the plants are nursed.

With this arrangement assurance is had that any plants which are grow-nor nursed in a hothouse will receive nutrition from the soil, as thelatter element is not limited by any bottom walls or boards.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of ahothouse of the type noted, which includes a top which is provided withventilators which are arranged to be opened, and at the same time afforda certain measure of protection against the weather elements.

More in detailthis invention proposes a construction in which the top ofthe hothouse adjacent to the wall of the basement is formed with one ormore hinged panels which have their free edges substantially adjacent tothe wall, and their hinged edges spaced therefrom. When this panel isswung upwardly on the hinges to provide ventilating effects the Wall ofthe building on one side, and the panels themselves on the other afforda certain measure of protection against the weather elements, as willhereinafter be pointed out in detail.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages, such as areassociated with the carrying out of the above noted thoughts in apractical embodiment will in part become apparent and in part behereinafter stated, as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a hothouse which is applied to abasement window, and which extends outwardly from the wall in which thewindow is formed. The walls of the hothouse are supported directly fromthe ground, and the extremity of the hothouse which is remote from thewall is anchored to the ground by having depending legs embedded inconcrete.

The ground itself constitutes the floor or bottom of the hothouse, andthe top thereof is provided with hinged ventilators which have theirfree swinging edges disposed adjacent to the wall of the building.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention referencemay be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,wherein: p

Figure l is a side View, partly in section and partly in elevation, of ahothouse construction applied to a basement wall in accordance with theprecepts of this invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed side view,showing one of the ventilating panels in open position,

Figure 3 is a top plan view with certain parts broken away, and

Figure 4 is an end elevational showing.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts, a basement wall is indicated at l0, and asillustrated in the drawings may be made from any appropriate concrete orbuilding block composition. The wall I0 is formed with a window openingdesignated II, and it is notable that the bot: tom wall of the windowopening II is in fairly close proximity to the level of the ground onthe exterior of the wall Ill this ground being referred to by thereference character I2.

In those cases where there is any discrepancy between the level of theground I2 and the level of the bottom opening of the window II,sulficient soil may be filled in to bring these two into a substantiallyflush relationship.

Mounted in the window opening II is a sash structure designated I3, andthe upper portion of this sash structure may support a window shade, asshown at I4.

Attached to the sash member I3, and extending outwardly from the wall I0 are a pair of side foundation members I5, which may be made from anyappropriate material, such as wood; there being one of these memberslocated at each side of the window I I.

At the end remote from the wall I9 each of the side foundation membersI5 is formed with a leg I6 that extends down into the ground, and has afoot, shown at I7, embedded in a block of concrete indicated at I8. Thisarrangement of embedding the feet I! of the legs IS in the concrete I8provides for a firm anchorage of the side foundation members I5.

At the extremities remote from the wall It] the members I5 are joinedtogether by an end piece I9 to complete a foundation which supports thepanel construction of the hothouse. The soil which is contained betweenthe side members I5, the member l9, and the wall In constitutes the bedof the hothouse.

Supported on each ofthe side members I5 is a panel wall structuredesignated 20, which has its,

upper edge beveled, to provide a slanting top, as shown in Figures 1 and2. This side structure 20 may include as many panes of glass 2| ascircumstances dictate.

An end panel structure is shown in Figure 4 as mounted on the endfoundation member l9,

and is referred to as 22. This member 22 extends between the side panelstructures 20.

The main top of the hothouse is defined by a top panel structuredesignated 23, which terminates along a line which is spaced from thewall III; this edge of the panel being indicated at 24.

The space between the edge 24 and the wall I0,

which at times is designed to be opened by hinged ventilators, in amanner to be hereinafter described, is preferably protected by a wirescreen shown at 25. 7

As shown in Figure 3, two hinged ventilators 26 are provided, althoughthe invention is not to be limited in this respect, as this number canbe varied as occasion demands.

Each of the members 26 is hinged to the edge 24 of the top panelstructure 23, as shown at 21, and the free edge of eachof the members 26ordinarily rests on a flange 2B,which extends outwardly from the top ofthe sash I3.

Centrally of each ventilator 26 the flange 28 is formed with an opening29, as shown in Figure 2, and an arcuate supporting member 30 extendsthrough each of these openings. This member 7 30 is notched, as clearlyshown in Figure 2, and

' engage the edge of the opening 29, to maintain the ventilator in anadjusted open position.

Any appropriate means for heating the'interior of the hothouse may beprovided, but a preferred arrangement is shown in which pipes 32 extendinwardly through the opening II, and about the bed of the hothouse.Steam or hot water may be passed through the pipes 32 in a well-knownmanner, to provide the desired heat effects.

It is evident that with the arrangement of ventilators 26, which areshown in the drawings, good protective effects against the weatherelements are provided. When these members are swung into an openposition, as shown in Figure 2, the wall I9 on one side, and theventilators 26 themselves on the other, afford a good measure ofprotection for'the opening which'provides ventilation.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbeforeset forth, it is to be clearly understood that I am not to be limited tothe exact constructions illustrated and described, because variousmodifications of these details may be provided in putting the inventioninto practice within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a wall upstanding from the ground and having a windowopening defined by upper, lower and side edges, a hothouse extendingoutwardly from the wall at the window opening, said hothouse having sidewalls extending outwardly from the side edges of the window opening anda top extending outwardly from the upper edge of the window opening andmeans at the end of the hothouse which is remote from the wall foranchoring said hothouse in position.

2. In combination, a wall upstanding from the ground and having a.window opening defined by upper, lower and side edges, a hothouseextending outwardly from the wall at the window opening, said hothousehaving side walls extending outwardly from the side edges of the windowopening and a top extending outwardly from the upper edge of the windowopening and means at the end ofthe hothouse which is remote from thewall for anchoring said hothouse in position, said means comprising aleg having its extremity embedded in concrete.

3. In combination, a wall upstanding from the ground and formed with awindow opening defined by upper, lower and side edges, the lower edge ofwhich is substantially flush with the ground from which the wallupstands, a hothouse extending outwardly from said window opening andsupported by the said ground, said hothouse comprising side walls whichextend outwardly from the side edges of the window opening and a topwhich extends outwardly from the upper edge.

4. In combination, a wall upstanding from the ground and formed with awindow opening defined by upper, lower and side edges, the lower edge ofwhich is substantially flush with the ground from which the wallupstands, a hothouse extending outwardly from said window opening andsupported by the said ground, said hothouse comprising side foundationmembers embedded 'in the-ground and extending outwardly in alignmentwith the side edges of the window opening, an end foundation memberconnected to said side members and also embedded in the ground, andpan'el'structures mounted on said foundation member.

5. In combination, a basement wall upstanding from the ground and formedwith a window. opening, the lower edge of which is substantially flushwith the surface of said ground, a hothouse extending outwardly from thewall at the window opening and supported by the ground, said hothousebeing formed with a top including a ventilator, said ventilator having afree edge substantially adjacent to the wall and being hinged along anedge remote from the wall, and means for maintaining said ventilator inan adjusted open position.

6. In combination, a basement wall extending upwardly from the groundand including a window opening having a lower edge substantially flushwith the surface of the ground, side foundation members extendingoutwardly from the edges of the Window opening and embedded in theground, an end foundation member connecting the extremities of the sidefoundation members and also embedded in the ground, legs depending fromthe foundation members and having feet embedded in concrete beneath thesurface of the ground, side and end panel structures carried by saidfoundation members, and a roof carried by said side and panelstructures, said roof including a ventilator which is hinged along aline spaced from the wall of the house and having a free edgesubstantially adjacent to the wall when the ventilator is in closedposition, and means for maintaining the ventilator in an adjustedopening position.

OLUF THESEN.

